Press Releases

On Wednesday, April 24 at 10:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), will hold a hearing entitled “Keeping College within Reach: Enhancing Transparency for Students, Families and Taxpayers.” The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Under the leadership of House Republicans, the 2008 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act included several provisions geared toward improving transparency in higher education. As a result, students now have access to a number of products designed to help them learn about their higher education options, including the College Navigator, financial aid shopping sheets, and net price calculators. Additionally, the Department of Education recently unveiled a new College Scorecard in an effort to make it easier for families to find the most relevant information about postsecondary schools.

While many of these initiatives are helpful, students still report confusion when researching their postsecondary options and trying to choose the institution that best meets their needs. Meanwhile, higher education leaders have raised concerns about the overwhelming amount of federal data and reporting requirements, some of which are duplicative.

With the Higher Education Act due for reauthorization in the 113th Congress, Wednesday’s hearing will give members an opportunity to explore opportunities to improve student’s access to relevant higher education data – without overburdening institutions with redundant requirements. To learn more about this hearing, visit www.edworkforce.house.gov/hearings.

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WITNESS LIST:

Dr. Donald E. Heller
Dean, College of Education
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI